Liquid measuring dispenser device



Sept. 4, 195e I. H. nu ams ,2,761,591

' LIQUID MEASURING DISPENSER DEVICE i I mad 50121.51 1952 INVENTOR JOHN H.. DUBOIS AT TOR NEYS United States Patent O LIQUID MEASURING DISPENSER DEVICE John H. Du Bois, Montclair, N. J., assignor to Plax Corporation, West Hartford, Coun., a corporation nf Dela- Ware The present invention relates to liquid dispensing devices.

An object of the invention is to provide a dispenser including a resilient collapsible container which dispenses a measured or metered quantity of liquid when collapsing pressure is applied on the container.

A further object is to provide a dispenser which automatically readies itself for the next metered discharge operation when the collapsing pressure is relieved.

Another object is to provide a dispenser unit which is operable in an inverted position in which the discharge outlet is at a low point, as when discharging nose drops into a nasal passage.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent in the following description of an embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of a liquid dispensing assembly including exible container, discharge metering plug and removable cap;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view, similar to Fig. 1, showing the inverted dispenser with the cap removed preparatory to dispensing a measured charge of liquid medicament into a nasal passage; and

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the dispenser immediately following the discharge of a metered quantity of medicament and before relieving collapsing pressure on the container.

The dispenser, generally designated 1, shown in the drawings includes a container 2 which preferably is made of a flexible material such as polyethylene or similar organic thermoplastic. The container 2 of the illustrated embodiment is an elongate cup-shaped member of circular cross-section which is gradualy tapered toward its bottom or closed end and has a closure member 3 secured in its open end. Preferably the closure 3 includes an elongate tapered cylindrical skirt portion 4 which is removably secured by a press-lit in the mouth of the container 2.

As shown in the drawings, a dischargepassageway, generally designated 5, extends through the outer end of the closure 3. The outer end of the closure 3 through which the discharge passageway 5 extends may be suitably shaped to provide a nozzle 6 which is adapted to the particular use for which the dispenser 1 is intended.

As is apparent from Fig. 2., the nozzle 6 of the illustrated embodiment is particularly suited to the dispensing of nose-drops into the nostrils.

As shown in the drawings the passageway 5 through the nozzle 6 includes an inner generally cylindrical bore portion 7 and outer tapering conical bore portions 8 and 9 of successively steeper pitch. Disposed within the passageway 5 is a valve member 10 having a cylindrical portion 11 slightly smaller than the cylindrical bore 7 in which it is located and having conical portions 12 and 13 which, respectively, come into sealing engagement Wtih the bores 8 and 9 when the valve member or plug is in its outermost position in the passageway 5 as shown in Fig. 3. The plug 10 is loosely retained with- 2,761,591 Patented Sept- 4 1955 in the passageway 5, as by means of nozzle lugs 14 which restrain inward movement of the plug 10 to the open valve position shown.

In accordance with the invention, the plug or valve member 10 is made of a material having a specic gravity less than 1 or, at least, a density less than the liquid to be dispensed.

The dispenser 1 preferably includes a cap or cover 15 which may be removably secured vto the container 2 by suitable means as, for example, the annular groove and ange construction designated 16. The cover 15 preferably is recessed as at 17 to receive the tip of the nozzle 6 and provide a fluid-tight seal for the discharge passageway 5 when the cap 15 is attached to the container.

If desired, the nozzle 6 may be integrally secured in the container 2 by a circumferential fluid-tight heat seal so as to prevent refilling the dispenser once a proprietary product has been exhausted.

Referring to the operation of the dispenser, it will be obvious that the metering valve 10` will move outwardly in the passageway 5 when liquid content is discharged therethrough and that when the valve reaches the position shown in full lines in Fig. 3, the ejection of the material from the nozzle will be cut oil and further discharge prevented. When it is desired to dispense a metered amount of the contents, the container is inverted and the nozzle 6 located in a nostril or any other area which is to be medicated or supplied with the measured amount of liquid. Such movement causes the valve to oat upwardly in the liquid against the lugs 14 to occupy the position shown in Fig. 2. When pressure is now placed upon the collapsible container 2 by the hand of the operator, the material contained therein will move outwardly through the ring openings provided between the plug 10 and the passageway 5 and is ejected from the dispenser 1. Such movement of the liquid in the nozzle 6 causes the metering valve or plug 10 to be actuated toward its closed position and by the time the valve has reached such position, as indicated by the full lines in Fig. 3, a metered amount of material has been ejected from the dispenser. If it is desired to cause a second metered discharge of the liquid from the dispenser 1, it is only necessary to relieve the manual pressure on the container 2 and the valve plug 10 thereupon floats to the position shown in Fig. 2 and another metered charge may be dispensed merely by reapplying manual squeeze pressure to the container 2. The movement of the liquid owing through the nozzle passageway 5 again causes the valve 10 to be closed when the desired charge has been dispensed. The amount of the metered discharge of the material may be predetermined by the clearance of the valve 10 in the nozzle passageway 5 and by the degree of taper of the two conical bore portions 8 and 9 of the passageway.

Having thus described an illustrative embodiment of the invention, I claim:

l. The combination with a collapsible container containing liquid material, of a dispensing nozzle at one end of said container, the nozzle having a normally open passageway forming a measuring chamber, a metering valve movably mounted within said chamber between a rearward position in which the valve is loosely restrained in said passageway and a forward position in which said valve closes and remains entirely within said passageway, and wherein said valve has a lesser density than and automatically oats toward the surface of said liquid and is moved to said closed position entirely within said passageway responsive to the application of squeezing pressure to the container and the dispensing 3 of a preselected metered quantity of the liquid therefrom.

2. The combination with a collapsible container containing liquid material, of a dispensing nozzle at one end of said container, the nozzle having a normally open passageway forming a measuring chamber, said passageway including adjacent conical wall portions of different pitch, a metering valve having conical portions conforming to the conical wall portions of said passageway and movably mounted within said chamber between a rearward position in which the valve is loosely restrained in said passageway and a forward position in which the valve remains entirely within said passageway and said conical portions of said valve engage the conical wall portions of and close said passageway, and wherein said valve has a lesser specific gravity than and automatically floats toward the surface of said liquid and is moved to said closed position responsive to the dispensing of a preselected liquid when said container is manually squeezed.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,244,140 Steinmetz Oct. 23, 1917 1,980,473 Coielder Nov. 13, 1934 2,393,478 Porter Jan. 22, 1946 2,529,554 Katzmann Nov. 14, 1950 

